Passenger Rights in a Texas Car Accident

No matter whether you were riding with friends or family, in your car or someone else's, with or without permission, if you've been hurt as a passenger in a car accident, you have rights in Texas.

Making a Claim as a Passenger in a Car Accident in Texas

As a passenger who was hurt in a car accident, the first thing you'll need to do is determine who caused the wreck. Was it the driver of the car you were in? A driver in a different car? A third party entirely? (For instance, if a poorly marked construction zone caused the driver to wreck).

Once you've determined fault, you can make a claim against that person's insurance company. Get their name and their insurance ID number and information and then call their insurance company to start the claims process - you'll be assigned to a single insurance worker, called an insurance adjuster, who will guide you through the process.

The only way to earn compensation for your injuries is to make a claim; the system isn't designed to compensate victims who don't act. There may be compensation available to cover for your medical bills, lost wages as a result of missing work due to doctor appointments, pain, and suffering. In essence, if you do not want to be stuck paying for medical bills generated from accident that you did not cause, and if you have missed work and are worried about not being able to pay for your medical bills, contacting a personal injury attorney might be the best step to take.

How Do I Win My Passenger Accident Claim?

Of course, just because you were hurt as a passenger doesn't mean you're guaranteed money for your injuries. First, you'll have to prove that the at-fault driver caused the accident and the accident caused your injuries. You can do this by collecting evidence - think of things like pictures of the accident scene and your injuries, witness statements, etc.

I've written a helpful article on gathering evidence and the importance of setting up a good, strong claim. You can find that article here:

What If the Driver Says the Passenger Was to Blame?

Let's say you were in the passenger seat of a friend's car and you reached over to turn up the music, or pulled out your giant paper map, or you pointed something out to the driver. Whatever example you choose, let's say the driver then wrecks. Now your friend is claiming you caused the accident by distracting them. What happens now?

In this situation, I'd advise you to consult with your accident attorney to hash out the details. However, it is possible for a passenger to be accused of "contributory negligence" under a variety of circumstances. This basically means that they contributed to the accident and therefore they must help pay for it.

Of course, just because an insurance company (or a driver) accuses a passenger of contributing to the accident doesn't mean a jury will agree. It all depends on your case and the evidence gathered against you.

Who Needs to Hire a Lawyer?

If you've never hired a lawyer before, you might be wondering, "What will an attorney do for me? Do I even need one?" You will benefit from hiring a lawyer if you:

Were hurt in an accident caused by another driver

Don't have health insurance after a wreck and can't afford to get treatment

Have never handled a claim before and feel confused about what to do next

Tried handling the claim on your own but encountered trouble with the insurance adjuster

Received an unfair settlement offer from the insurance company

Want a professional to ensure you win everything you deserve to cover the cost of your accident

If you were in an accident that wasn't your fault and suffered injuries as a result, you will benefit from having a personal injury attorney handling your case. The reason is simple. After a wreck, you're going to have to convince the other driver's insurance company to pay you the money you deserve for your medical bills, damaged car, and pain and suffering. However, insurance adjusters are trained to pay you as little money as possible. It's how insurance companies make money.

Having a lawyer on your side evens the playing field. Here at the Anderson Law Firm, we have over 25 years of experience winning money for hurt accident victims in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. We know exactly how to set up your case, and we handle everything for you.

Our Personal Injury Firm Takes the Stress Off Your Shoulders

When accident victims come to us, it's often out of frustration with the insurance company. No one ever tells you how hard making a claim can be, especially when insurance adjusters refuse to call you back or create unfair excuses to deny your claim.

We Fight the Insurance Company So You Don't Have To

Insurance adjusters might find it easy to brush you off, but they won't be able to ignore us. Sometimes simply having a lawyer on your side forces the insurance company to stop messing around - they know we won't let them get away with undervaluing your claim or playing around with your case.

We Prove the Other Driver Was At Fault

This is a sticking point for many car accident victims. You might know that the other driver caused your accident, but how can you prove it? We have over 40 years combined experience building cases and proving negligence. We know exactly what to look for, who to call and how to handle your case in the right way.

We Immediately Investigate Your Accident

If we're going to convince the insurance company to pay you full compensation, words alone are not enough - we'll need to prove that someone else caused your car accident, and that your car accident caused your injuries. For this reason, quick and thorough car accident investigations are crucial, which is why we make yours a priority. Since evidence like skid marks, debris, vehicle damage, video camera recordings and injuries tend to diminish and disappear fairly quickly, we understand the importance of fast action.

We Fight to Win You the Compensation You Deserve

If you've been in a car accident that wasn't your fault, you shouldn't have to pay the price. Under Texas law, you're entitled to compensation for your medical bills, missed work days, pain and suffering. The Anderson Law Firm can help you get it.

How Does It Work?

Schedule Your Free Consultation

First, you'll schedule your free consultation with our firm. When you come to our office, we'll listen to your story and get all the facts of the case, then form a plan to get you the medical care you need. From there, we'll gather evidence to build your case against the other driver and start our battle to win you everything you deserve to cover the cost of the accident.

You Pay Zero Upfront Costs

If you choose to hire our firm, there are no costs upfront. Instead, we work on a contingency basis, meaning we take a percentage of the money we win for you once you're satisfied with the results and your case is complete.

We Set You Up with Doctors

Even if you don't have health insurance, you shouldn't be left to suffer. We work with a network of doctors we trust who can get you the care you need now, and defer payment until later (after we've won your case and the money needed to pay these bills).

We Handle Everything, Giving You Updates Along the Way

You'll be assigned a case manager who is there to answer questions every step of the way. As your case progresses, we'll keep you updated on its status and check in with you to see how you're healing, but we handle all the paperwork, evidence-gathering and negotiations. Your only job is to get better.

Once You're Healed, We Fight the Insurance Company

After you're fully recovered from the accident, we'll gather all your medical bills, photo documentation, police reports and other evidence and bring it to the insurance company to demand a fair settlement. Attorney Mark Anderson has over 25 years of experience negotiating with insurance adjusters, and he won't let an adjuster lowball us. If at the end of negotiations we still don't believe the insurance company is offering you fair compensation, we'll file a lawsuit.

Filing a Lawsuit

In addition to our attorneys, we have a full litigation team trained to bring your case to court. We've won millions of dollars for our clients over the years, and we are confidant in our ability to bring justice to hurt accident victims.

Why Trust the Anderson Law Firm?

The Anderson Law Firm's founder Mark Anderson is one of the most recognized attorneys in our area. Most notably, Mark was named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine, and is consistently recognized as a Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters. He is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and is ranked in the top one percent of practicing attorneys in the United States, according to the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. ​